Electrical component

ABSTRACT

An improved electrical component is disclosed which may be rapidly connected to wires without the need of special tools. The back cover of the component housing includes a number of integral wire carrying members which are movably attached to the cover and arranged to drive wires carried thereby onto metallic lances of the contact members of the component without the aid of special tools. The metallic contact members include two identical interconnected ends which are arranged to be separated by removing a tear strip therebetween so that the ends of the contact can be individually wired. this tear strip is removed simply by pulling with a pair of pliers or the like.

' United States Patent Frantz Feb. 25, 1975 [54] ELECTRICAL COMPONENT 3,718,888 2/1973 Pasternak 339/98 75 I t Robert Houston Frantz Carlisle, Pa. 1 nve n or Primary ExaminerRoy D. Frazier Asslgneei AMP Incorporated, g g ly, Assistant Examiner-Robert A. Hafer [22] Filed: Oct. 1, 1973 21 Appl. No; 402,549 [57] ABSTRACT An improved electrical component is disclosed which may be rapidly connected to wires without the need of [52] U.S. Cl 339/l40R, 339/597, 339/164 special tools The back cover of the component hous lift. Cl. H II H011 includes a number of integral wire y g [58] new of Search 339/95 bers which are movably attached to the cover and ar- 339/14 206 ranged to drive wires carried thereby onto metallic lances of the contact members of the component with- [56] References C'ted out the aid of special tools. The metallic contact mem- UNITED STATES PATENTS bers include two identical interconnected ends which 2,673,968 3/1954 Smith 339/99 R are arranged to be separated by removing a tear strip 3.0l2,2l9 12/1961 Levin et al 339/98 therebetween so that the ends of the contact can be 3,183,472 5/1965 Pawl 339/94 individually wired. this tear strip is removed simply by 3,555,492 1/1971 Smith 339/95 D pulling i a i of pliers or h like 3,663,924 5/1972 Gerlat... 3,67l,925 6/l972 Drapkin 339/95 D 15 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. The Field Of The Invention The present invention relates to an improved electrical component and in particular to a component which can be easily wired and in which portions of the component may readily be electrically separated forindividual wiring.

2. The Prior Art In accordance with long standing conventional practice, electrical wires have been connected in junction boxes and/or outlet boxes which are installed on studding prior to the application of the final wall covering. Wires in conduits or cables are led into opposite sides of the junction box and initially left disconnected. After application of the final wall covering, such as plaster or wall board, the switches or outlets are installed in the boxes.

At present, most buildingsare wired with a three wire system and it is frequently necessary to run as many as four three-wire cables into a single junction box, which requires the stripping and connection of twelve individ: ual wires. To prepare the wires for connection with conventional components, it is necessary to strip the outer insulation from the main cable and then strip the insulation from the ends of the current carrying wires. The stripped ends are then bent and fastened, by individual screws, to a switch or receptacle which is then forced into the box with sufficient force to overcome the resistance to bending, twisting and folding of the excess cable confined in the junction box. This is an extremely awkward and time consuming operation and inherently involves the possibility of breaking insulation or loosening prior connections with the attendant possibility of an opencircuit or a dangerous short circuit. This problem has been magnified by the rapidly increasing cost of labor as well as increasing demand for extra convenience outlets. At present, for example, the average small home may have about twenty to twenty-five duplex receptacles and eight to fifteen switches. In addition, before the final approval ofa wiring job, it is often necessary to retrace entire circuits to assure the accuracy of the individual connections.

One attempt to overcome some of the above mentioned problems is set out in U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,822. The electrical connector described this patent has three fastener or connector assemblies which are in the form of hollow rectangular frames with 'a screw threaded into one end of the frame. The stripped ends of a number of wires are inserted into the frame and lock terminals to obviate the use of screws to secure a bare conductor. These pressure lock terminals grasp a portion of a bare conductor wire and secure it in place by means of a resilient pressure member and thus do not require the use of a screw terminal. These receptacles are somewhat faster to use than those with screw terminals since the bare conductor is simply forced through an opening. However, these receptacles still.

require the ends of the wire to be stripped and they cannotalways handle all sizes of wire and/or several wires at a time. The sockets of the disclosed receptacle can be separated by bending a tab back and forth until it is broken off. This job is accomplished with a pair of pliers or the like and can be difficult in cramped quar ters, as well as time consuming.

The next significant development in the connection of wires to electrical components is represented by U.S.

Pat. No. 3,723,948. This patent discloses an electrical I component which is provided with a base housing channeled to receive and separate three wires while maintaining substantiallyequal tension on each of the wires. The outermost channels are oppositely arcuate to permit each of the wires to be positively aligned with the appropriate slot in an associated connector plate. The connections are made by forcing the unstripped wire between upstanding legs of the conductor plates which define a slot therebetween.

The above mentioned idea of forcing an insulated wire between a pair, of closely spaced tine members, which will pierce the insulation to make contact with the conductor of the wire, is well known. The wires can either be forced between pairs of rigid tines by an insulating member, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,183,472, or a metallic member bearing spaced rigid tines can be forced down over the wire which is trapped in an insulating block, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,012,2l9n

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The subject electrical component includes a housing, a pair of contact members and a ground contact yoke member mounted in said housing and a rear cover for said housing. The rear cover includes a number of integral wire carrying members which are movably connected to the remainder of the cover by flexible straps. Each wire carrying member includes at least one blind bore and an intersecting transverse groove into which tines of the contact members can protrude. Each of the contact members includes a tear strip portion interconnecting two end portions which are complete contact units. The housing is profiled to allow access to the tear strip and to provide a pair of spaced anvils on either side of the tear strip to restrain the contact member as the tear strip is removed. The yoke member includes ground contact members adapted to receive the ground contact of mating plugs and a pair of tines for engaging a ground wire therebetween.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to produce an improved electrical component which may be readily and rapidly connected to associated wiring by inserting wires into a carrier member and pushing the carrier member into the housing to effect engagement with contacts mounted therein without first stripping the ends of the wire.

It is a further object of the present invention to produce an electrical component, such as a duplex receptacle, switch, bus bar, splice, etc., which can be rapidly connected to associated wiring without prestripping the wire before effecting the connection.

It is also an object of the present invention to produce an electrical component in which the contact members can be readily and easily separated into individual units by simply removing a tear strip.

I and economically produced.

gjFlGL 5; 7 1 V i I i V "HG; 7-is ah'orizontal section taken along line 7v-- 7 1 V orFrokas d 7 FIG 8 isa partial transve I the receptacle; showing the central locking mechanism.

Themeans foraccomplishingthe magmas ather;j 5

' FIG. 6isa vertical oescmrrion or T ETAILED in a is r "EMBODIMENTQ splices, etc. The'illustrated embodiment comprises a rse vertical section through objects of the presentinventionwill become apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings 12112 DESCRlPTlONOFTHE DRAWINGS 1 r FIG; .1 is'an exploded :rear perspective -view-; of the subject invention embodied in a duplex receptacle] v QFlGqZ isa view'sirnilanto-HG. l'showi'ng theduplex k e v receptacle closed and connected to the wires ofra single cablef' o o V 3 FIGMS is aperspective viewgtakenfalon g the section line3+3of FIG. 2 showing fdetailof the tearrstrip; FIGIQA is enfenlargedpartialside;elevationshowing a tearrstripand'a wirevcarrierii f 1, I FIG. 5' is a sideelevetion; sirnilar'to Fl' G ;4,.shwing 'a'wire'carrierfullyinsertedintothehousinggflf H sectionftaken alongiine 6+6 of" The subject improved electrical component hasbeen' illustrated, for sakeof convenience, embodied in a clu-f 'plex receptacle. This'is in no to beconsiclered as a limitation'onthe scope of the invention since it like:

wise can be incorporated into 'switehes -bu's bars, c

housing 10, contact members l2, 14; a ground yoke" e eludes a'longitudinally extending centralchann'el e which is adapted to receive'the ground yoke member A member 16, and a back cover l8. Thehousingflll in 16; On either side of the ccntralchannel there ise profiled recess 22,24 eachof whichreceives a; contact" member l2,l4,irespectiveiy; thereinlyThe contacts 12, i

I4 and recesses 22,24 are substantially' identical in configuration and thereforeonly contact 12 and recess I 22 will be discussed in detaiLTWo pairs of wire access openings 26; 28 lead to profiled end cavities 30 32,1respectively, of recess22. Thecavities 30, 32am interconnectedby a narrowpassagefl, A pair of spaced a The back cover/18' is an integral; memeeriha mge H identical conductor carrying members 84, 86;8'8, 90 and a gronnd wi'recarryingimernber Since thecon- V ductor carrying memb erstare,identicalgand the ground wire; carrying member ifsfs'ubstantially thersameyonly I member 84 will be discussedin;detailslMemberi84is 7 attachedytofthe covrl lS flexible straps"94,'"9r6.*The ,fwall'siof theeoverateach sideiof thernember formim f I e clinedsnrfacesSS,10051? ememberfincludesapair of .joppo s y d e i cli r ov 1 2, l o4iwhi ch i when the mer'nber;i's= in-the inserted pqsition,as shown ain' FIG. 2, lie snbstantiallyin linewi'ththe inclinedsun fa es 98, :100respectively, The rnernber"includes;first' r 7 land second blind bores-106,;108f endaftransverse chan; neljl {On-The. cover I8fffurtherincludes endhlocking lances llZ dependingzfronfeechcorner thereof for en gaging vdeteritsjt4-and)a pairof eentral loekinglatices 1 114, asshownin FIG.)8,101?engagingzdetents465 Q The subjecteduplex receptacle embodiment isasser'n 7 1 bled as follows; the eontactslz, and 14aminsertedinto the respective recesses in and 24,the]*ground yoke asrfsembly .lfi isl inserted into the centralj channel 20 i and the back cover 18 isw assembledfwith the housing by] bringing the centralyl m andend r112 'Iockingilancesf into engagement withthe corresponding locking "detents; and 44, respectively;is,

sorted into the separategjround wire carryingmember 92. lt'should be here n'otedthat the component. is

shown connected ro an insulated cable -but:.that sepa I rate wirespassing through a conduit or any Qther'simi: I V is V lar arrangement of wires would be isuitable. lt 'should 1 s also be notedthatthe illustratedcornponent is capable; r

of connection with to eight wires; however, the

7 contacts; housing and cover canibeadapted to handle any desired numberof wires. ltis notnec essaryto strip; insulation frornrthe ejndsof the separete condnctors in -i i order to make connection withthe component parallel walls 36;; 38 define 'therebetween :a slot 40" opening into the passage 34, An additional ground wire opening is formed in one sidewalladjacent one endto of the housing IO to provide access for connection'of a" ground wire to the groom! yokei l6." The housing is further provided ateach end with looking detents'44i T and with locking detentsieainfthe central channel 20 Each Contact member memes two basic terminal strip 7 3 units 48, joined togetherby'ia tear strip 521. Each 5 r basic terminalstrip unit can function independently.

V The basic nnit is comprised ofja prong engaging section 54', 56 anea conductor engaging section58, 60. ,Each I;

assembled'withthe yoke frame andadapted to receive ground pinsjofplugstnot shown) insertedintothere ceptacle. The ends of the yokeinclude the convenconductor engaging section includes one or rnorei nsu lation piercing slots62,i64rand,66, 68. i 1 I The ground yoke member 16 includes a yoke frame l 70. A fork shaped'portion 72 extends normal to the I r plane of the yoke frame and includes a ground wiref receiving slot 74. A pairo'f ground contacts 76, 78 are ,The details ofthe conductor carrying members will L be describedv with referenc'e'toFlGS. 4 tot- 7 Each indi-Q "vi-dual memberisintegrellyconneeted to the back} a 1 cover 'byresilient straps-92,94,[These{straps allowffor relative movementof the membejrnormlto the back coverwhile limiting the motion ineither direction. f

V Each'rnember includesa't least oneblindbore 104, l0fi h 7' into which the unstripped 'endoi aqwireis inserted? Whenthewirepisinsertedandthe-Jmernbergis pushed into the housingthenwthe' 'insulationfof the wirewillbe "'cutfrorn theiconductor byrthesides ofthe"insulation t 7 I piercing slot"66;e68 ofitheicontsctntember iZ 'asbest seeninFlGJ, toform agood electricalconnectionllt V I should: also be noted here that whilefsolid conductors v have beenshowmthe presentinvention islikewise suit-:f

I able, for use withtstranded condiictorssince any;move. i

irnentyof the"separate/wires forming-ytheconductort would; be restrained byjtheblindfboresfwhen amem;

ber has wires insertecltherein andispusheclinto the 'housinggthen it'fwillt be tightly'held therein by the en- I gagernent of thewirewith thefcontactlmember; How

ever it is possible to remove the member for purposes of, replacing or'exc'hangingethewire; This is-accoma x "plished by insertingla screwdriver'or.,like instrumentf into thergroove at the upper end of the member and c e 'i'ipryingthemember fromthehonsing using theleverage 7 The duplex receptacletis showninFIG; '2 connected" at the: end of arun withthe urrent carrying wires 1161, I i

31 18 of cablelZG inserteclitttofa first" set ofconductor carrying members 84,901 snd the'grohnd wire 122m f a from the adjacent inclined surfaces of the back cover.

The contact members can be separated into two individual units should it be desired to have individual sockets of the receptacle separately wired. in order to accomplish this, the pull tab 52 must be removed, see

FIG. 3. The pull tab is struck from the contact member for only a short length thereof. The remaining portion of the contact member is not scored, indented, etc. and need not be since the walls 36, 38 of the housing serve as a pair of spaced parallel anvils which restrain the contact and allow the tear strip 52 to be removed simply by pulling the tab with a pair of pliers or like tool. The force required to make this separation is unexpectedly low and is in the range of to 25 pounds for conventional 0.020 inch stock of a suitable metallic conductive material e.g. phosphor bronze, brass alloy, etc.

The present invention is subject to many modifications and changes without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved electrical component comprising:

a housing of insulating material having at leastone cavity therein; 7

at least one contact member received in said cavity of said housing and having at least one pair of spaced tines defining a wire engaging slot therebetween;

a back cover including means detachably securing said back cover to said housing, at least one wire carrying member integrally connected to said back cover by flexible straps, said wire carrying member having therein at least one bore and a transverse groove intersecting said bore, whereby wire inserted in said bore is carried into engagement with said tines as said wire carrying member is moved towards said cavity with respect to said back cover.

2. An electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said bore is a blind bore limiting penetration of wire into said wire carrying member.

3. An electrical component according to claim 1 ground yoke including a pair of spaced tines defining a ground wire receiving slot therebetween and at least one ground prong receiving portion; and a ground wire carrying member including a bore, a

transverse groove intersecting said bore and integral flexible straps connecting said ground wire,

LII

a ground yoke mounted within said housing, said i claim 1 wherein said component is a duplex receptacle. 6. An improved electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said component is a switch.

7. An improved electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said component is a light fixture.

8. An improved electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said component is a bus bar.

9. An improved electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said component is a junction box.

10. An improved electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said component is a splice.

11. An improved electrical component comprising: a housing of insulating material having therein at least one cavity and at least one pair of spaced sidewall portions, each pair defining therebetween an elongated access slot communicating with said at least one cavity; at least one contact member mounted in said at least one cavity, each said contact member including a pair of like contact units interconnected by a tear strip portion aligned to be accessible through said slot in said housing and coplanar with said sidewalls, said tear strip portion having a tab extending into said slot and said slot extending substantially transversely across said contact and beyond both lateral edges thereof; said tear strip adapted to be removed by application of a unidirectional pullingforce normal to the plane of said contact member whereby said side wall portions serve as anvils for restraining the contact units of said contact member and cause the tearing separation of said strip from said contact member.

12. An electrical wiring receptacle comprising:

a housing of insulating material having at least a pair of cavities therein and a pair of spaced sidewall.

portions on at least one side of each cavity, each pair of sidewall portions defining a slot therebe-- tween communicating with the adjacent cavity;

at least one contact member mounted in each said cavity, each said contact member including a pair of like end contact units joined together bya tear strip portion, said tear strip portion being accessible through said housing sidewall slot, each said contact unit including at least one pair of tines defining a wire engaging slot therebetween; and

a back cover including means to secure said cover to said housing and at least one wire carrying member for each contact member, each said wire carrying member having flexible arm means integrally. attaching said wire carrying member to said back cover and at least one bore intersected by a transverse slot, said wire carrying member being in substantialalignment with a respective one of said contact members so that said tines can enter said transverse slot, whereby a wire inserted into said bore will be carried into engagement with said tines by pushingsaid wire carrying member into said housing.

13. An electrical wiring receptacle according to claim 12 further comprising:

a ground yoke mounted substantially centrally within said housing, said yoke includinga pair oftines defining a ground wire engaging slot the'rebetween and at least one ground prong receptacle; and

said back cover including a ground wire carrying member attached to said cover by flexible arm claim 13 wherein said ground yoke further comprises means, said grcilindwir carrying member includ I m e an' s iidfiiptecl to fixedly moi irit 'saidre'ceptacle,"

ing'a bore and a transverse slotintersecting said 5 c w mg d accordmg m V boreia'nd beingin substgnti aifilignmem with said ground wire tines whereby a wire iriser ted'into said bore can be driveninto engagement with said tines. 5 7 7 a 14.1A'n. electrical iwirin'g receptacle vaccording to I o ad 3 V x elimf -13 wherein idzbaek cqveriiieliidiesa wire earry-f I I 1 mg member-aligned with each pair f tines of each UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,868,161 DATED I February 25, 1975 lN 1 ROBERT HOUS'ION FRANTZ lHeeertttred that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected 'as shown below:

In the Patent:

' Claim 12, column 6, line 49, after "for each" insertsaid Signed and sealed this 22nd day of April 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

C. MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer and Trademarks 

1. An improved electrical component comprising: a housing of insulating material having at least one cavity therein; at least one contact member received in said cavity of said housing and having at least one pair of spaced tines defining a wire engaging slot therebetween; a back cover including means detachably securing said back cover to said housing, at least one wire carrying member integrally connected to said back cover by flexible straps, said wire carrying member having therein at least one bore and a transverse groove intersecting said bore, whereby wire inserted in said bore is carried into engagement with said tines as said wire carrying member is moved towards said cavity with respect to said back cover.
 2. An electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said bore is a blind bore limiting penetration of wire into said wire carrying member.
 3. An electrical component according to claim 1 wherein each said at least one contact member includes a pair of like contact units joined together by a tear strip portion; said housing including a pair of spaced sidewall portions defining therebetween a slot exposing said tear strip portion whereby said tear strip can be removed from said contact member by being pulled through said slot against said spaced sidewall portions which serve as anvils.
 4. An electrical component according to claim 1 further comprising: a ground yoke mounted within said housing, said ground yoke including a pair of spaced tines defining a ground wire receiving slot therebetween and at least one ground prong receiving portion; and a ground wire carrying member including a bore, a transverse groove intersecting said bore and integral flexible straps connecting said ground wire carrying member to said cover whereby a ground wire inserted into said bore is driven into said ground wire receiving slot of said ground yoke by movement of said ground wire carrying member into said cavity with respect to said back cover.
 5. An improved electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said component is a duplex receptacle.
 6. An improved electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said component is a switch.
 7. An improved electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said component is a light fixture.
 8. An improved electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said component is a bus bar.
 9. An improved electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said component is a junction box.
 10. An improved electrical component according to claim 1 wherein said component is a splice.
 11. An improved electrical component comprising: a housing of insulating material having therein at least one cavity and at least one pair of spaced sidewall portions, each pair defining therebetween an elongated access slot communicating with said at least one cavity; at least one contact member mounted in said at least one cavity, each said contact member including a pair of like contact units interconnected by a tear strip portion aligned to be accessible through said slot in said housing and coplanar with said sidewalls, said tear strip portion having a tab extending into said slot and said slot extending substantially transversely across said contact and beyond both lateral edges thereof; said tear strip adapted to be removed by application of a unidirectional pulling force normal to the plane of said contact member whereby said side wall portions serve as anvils for restraining the contact units of said contact member and cause the tearing separation of said strip from said contact member.
 12. An electrical wiring receptacle comprising: a housing of insulating material having at least a pair of cavities therein and a pair of spaced sidewall portions on at least one side of each cavity, each pair of sidewall portions defining a slot therebetween communicating with the adjacent cavity; at least one contact member mounted in each said caviTy, each said contact member including a pair of like end contact units joined together by a tear strip portion, said tear strip portion being accessible through said housing sidewall slot, each said contact unit including at least one pair of tines defining a wire engaging slot therebetween; and a back cover including means to secure said cover to said housing and at least one wire carrying member for each contact member, each said wire carrying member having flexible arm means integrally attaching said wire carrying member to said back cover and at least one bore intersected by a transverse slot, said wire carrying member being in substantial alignment with a respective one of said contact members so that said tines can enter said transverse slot, whereby a wire inserted into said bore will be carried into engagement with said tines by pushing said wire carrying member into said housing.
 13. An electrical wiring receptacle according to claim 12 further comprising: a ground yoke mounted substantially centrally within said housing, said yoke including a pair of tines defining a ground wire engaging slot therebetween and at least one ground prong receptacle; and said back cover including a ground wire carrying member attached to said cover by flexible arm means, said ground wire carrying member including a bore and a transverse slot intersecting said bore and being in substantial alignment with said ground wire tines whereby a wire inserted into said bore can be driven into engagement with said tines.
 14. An electrical wiring receptacle according to claim 13 wherein said ground yoke further comprises means adapted to fixedly mount said receptacle.
 15. An electrical wiring receptacle according to claim 13 wherein said back cover includes a wire carrying member aligned with each pair of tines of each contact unit. 